OGIL ride Wednesday 16th September 2020
The first OGIL ride after the new Rule of Six was introduced, and the WhatsApp lines were abuzz with suggestions and counter-suggestions about how to organise the ride(s). A kind of consensus was reached that the first six to voice their intention to meet at Union Corner would do so, and would ride to Dean’s preferred destination of the Woodmans Cabin at Idless. Another group of no more than six would meet at the Other Place and ride to Perranuthnoe, and it was understood that the Union Corner group would not take the customary Halvasso route to avoid the two groups meeting and possibly intermingling.
So this report is confined to the exploits of the UC (Union Corner) group. Those in the OP (Other Place) group will have to sort themselves out.
Cath had excused herself to protect others from possible cross-contamination from Clive, who had woken with a sore throat. The mysterious fifth member of the group failed to materialise (or perhaps there never had been one?), leaving a select group of just four – Dean, Jan, Phil1 and yours truly. We set off in good spirits from Union Corner, only to be brought to a halt on Hillhead Road by traffic. The road past Argal reservoir was closed for resurfacing, and it would seem that traffic was being diverted along here. The result was large trucks (and the occasional tractor) meeting each other on narrow parts of the road and engaging in a stand-off, neither being able to reverse because of following traffic. Still, we eventually got through and headed up past Mabe church and then Longdowns. On we went to the Greek church, the aquatic centre and Burncoose, then Cusgarne, Twelveheads and Chacewater. Up Chacewater Hill, then on towards Truro aerodrome, Tregavethan and Shortlanesend. From there it was a short ride to the Idless Woods and the comfort of the Woodmans Cabin.
As there was nobody there when we arrived, and there were only four of us, the service was prompt. The food and drink was to everyone’s satisfaction (especially Phil, who had brought his own!), the experience only marred by having to use paper plates and wooden cutlery.
Not wishing to retrace our steps, our return route was straight down to Truro. Through the centre and up Chapel Hill, straight across the A390 and down past Kea Wood to the Bissoe Road. Despite having the opportunity to go straight across here and over through Perranwell to avoid Suicide Alley, apparently the prospect of more hills than necessary made everyone slightly suicidal, so a left turn it was. Going past Yummy Scrummy saw our second encounter with heavy traffic, moving so slowly it was actually holding us up. It was with some relief that we turned left to tackle Hangman’s Hill, past Enys and down into Penryn. More traffic, but the cycle lane at least made it easy to slip up the inside. Dracaena Avenue was another matter, with a close pass on Phil and some drivers inexplicably insisting on stopping with their wheels in the gutter, cutting off any possibility of cyclists filtering up the inside. Surely they don’t do this on purpose, do they?
A paltry 61 km for me (sorry Dean) but a fair amount of leg-stretching hills to compensate. Short and sweet.